26 June 2011 – 5:07pm
New Delhi: To express solidarity with Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has been on hunger strike from November 2000, against Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA), a candle light vigil was organized at Raj Ghat, New Delhi on June 25.
Sharmila has been on hunger strike demanding from the government to abolish the Indian military law, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in order to establish a secure and peaceful administration which can respect human values, humanism and human rights. The candle light vigil was part of the ‘Save Sharmila Campaign’ started by the civil society groups.
The main purpose of the vigil was to demand the government to hear Irom Sharmila. Sharmila is on long fast and adopted Gandhian way of non violent protest. In spite of the government’s alleged commitment to human rights, she is still ignored by the government and civil society.
Faisal Khan of NAPM told TwoCircles.net that as a part of the ‘Save Sharmila Campaign’ a nationwide signature campaign will be started from 2nd October which will conclude in Delhi on 10 December. A yatra will also be organized from Kashmir to Imphal, Khan added.
During the candle light vigil, Akku Chingangbam a research scholar from JMI sang a song on Irom Sharmila. A number of activists of several groups participated event and express their solidarity with Irom Sharmila including Faisal Khan (National Alliance of People’s Movement), Veena Behen (Gandhi Global Family), Ms. Nirmala Sharma (Jagruthi Mahila Samithi), Prof VK Tripathi (Sadbhavna Mission), MD Tanveer (Asian Center for Social Studies), Sandeep Mishra (Mission Bharathiyam), Biju Behen (Asha Parivar –Assam), Syed Ali AKthar (Yuva Koshish) and Daiyan Husssain (Khodayi Kidmatkar- North East). Besides, many students from JNU, Jamia Millia, Jamia Hamdard and Delhi University also attended the program.